The present invention relates to security for media content and, more specifically, to controlling download and playback of media content.
Many systems exist for transferring and playing media content. If the content is valuable, the content owner will restrict access to the content. For example, a user might be granted access in exchange for payment. Once the user has accessed the content, however, it is relatively easy for the user to copy the content and transfer it to someone else, who can then play it freely. A content owner wants to restrict playback to authorized users without preventing these users from accessing and playing the content.